Is a Blackberry a mobile phone?
 

Interesting question don't you think? It is primarily an email device which over the years has had features added most noticeably a phone function.
So does that make it a mobile phone?
Why do I ask I hear you say ... I dropped my 7230 whilst on holiday and thought I would make a claim on my travel/home insurance policies with Prudential. They refused to accept the claim on the grounds that the policies exclude mobile phones. I argued this definition but they stood their ground because they think of themselves as protecting the company instead of proving a service to their paying customers. Their main argument was that if the BB has mobile phone functionality then it is a mobile phone. So, by that reasoning a mobile phone with camera taking functionality is a camera - right?
I will be writing to "The Pru" but I thought that I would give all you prospective Prudential customers some advance warning.

Well, I talk on it, as I would a phone, and it does allow me to do this in a mobile fashion.... I would consider it a mobile phone........ with benefits!!

If it is a mobile phone then why do retailers categorise it under PDAs or OTHER?

I guess my answer to that is I don't think retailers the most brilliant of thinkers. No, I don't know. To be serious, I can see where both arguments hold water. It's obviously a mobile phone, which, by definition I would assume would be a phone that can be used while moving from place to place. But I wouldn't categorize it as a whole as a mobile phone because it's much more.

Its actually a mobile device by definition (RIM website) they list phone second in the description.

Who cares which it is....it is a great "device"! :)

if he is trying to do an insurance claim its very important

I think discobay cares, hence the thread being created in the first place. But I do agree, it is a great "device".

i figured as much too. i insured it with nextel's insurance plan.

id consider it more of a data device with the phone function thrown in

It's a mobile phone. It is generically classified as a "Smart Phone."

That's what it is.

Just because it has phone abilities, you don't have to use it as such. In fact, it is possible to order a GSM/GPRS blackberry with no voice service at all.

Worst case you should say since we can't agree upon the definition of the unit, they should offer to split the difference with you.

discobay - Do you have a "true" mobile phone other then the BB? Even if it one that another family member uses I would send Pru proof of ownership of that device and have them cover the BB.

Would they have covered a Dell Axim or iPaq? If so then I think the BB should be covered and I'm sure they'll end up caving if you fight hard enough.

I DID take both my BB and Xphone on holiday with me. I explained this to the t**t at Prudential to my frustration. I didn't even have a sim card in the BB!

I believe you are absolutely right from an industry perspective.

That is just marketing b******t to get more people to buy PDAs/organisers.

I would go with RIMs classification since they designed it, take the info right off their page

RIM calls it a mobile device.